speaks of pretty things and subtleties
by shikiku
Summary: Don't you wanna talk to me? — Tsunayoshi, Haru, guardians, family members, the heavens above.
1. 95

**speaks of pretty things and subtleties**

_95_.

_(the way she likes her tea)_

.

Like most females, Sasagawa Kyouko has habits.

Subtle habits, like biting her nails when she's nervous. Twirling her hair when she's feeling flirtatious. Hooking her pinky finger around the handle of her teacup when she raises the porcelain from the saucer and when she places it back down. Nibbling on her bottom lip to ask for a kiss. Buying tube after tube of shimmering gloss _because_ of her nibbling habit. Running her fingers up the smooth, pearly skin of her thigh when she wears a skirt (she likes to think it's because she's checking for stubbles and closed pores –track record says otherwise).

And again, like most females, Sasagawa Kyouko likes to gossip.

She likes gossiping about tangible relationships mostly – _hello_, doesn't everyone? – and relationships she believes make suitable matches. Most of the pairings she talks about are celebrities in her magazines or characters in her shoujo manga (or, if Kyouko wants to be honest, _school_, _market_, or those hot waiters at the restaurant down the street). But sometimes – she does mean _sometimes_ – she allows herself to picture her friends falling in love with each other and riding off into the sunset, _happily_, _ever_, _after._

But there are times when, Kyouko doesn't _have_ to imagine. There are relationships blossoming in front of her honey-hued eyes, and she knows this. When she finally figures out the reason behind Sawada Tsunayoshi's totally conspicuous and so _not_ secret detours on their way to and from school, she sets her habit aside with peach nails and earnest eyes.

(After all, it's still an _assumption_.)

(She doesn't know if it's the truth, and even if it is, it isn't her place to speak of it.)

(It's just an assumption, Kyouko. Maybe he's giving her a massage. Tsunayoshi gives massages to girls every morning before school. And after, if he's not _gardening_ with cheeky little Reborn.)

(Assumptions are meant to be investigated, and Kyouko knows this. She knows this _extremely_ well – Ryohei will be proud, _you're taking after your extreme older brother, huh, kyouko?_ – and doesn't stop herself from taking her leave from her friends and trailing behind Tsunayoshi when he leaves school grounds.)

It eventually becomes natural, following him. She makes a habit of coasting around the east corner that takes her to his housing development, looping around the block leading to the shopping district, making sure to keep his harmonious runoff in her sights, even when the flames grow brighter and brighter.

Though.

She has to wonder.

Does he know that he's heading towards Midori Middle School?

.

**tbc.**

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**notes**: So. I got this idea from **seifukus** to write a drabble complex that's basically about a bunch of characters from the same manga figuring out that some pairing likes each other. Please read her story, _it's in the little things_, to do her justice. Thank you for reading.

**Disclaimer (for whole drabble complex)**: I do _not_ own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!


	2. 80

**speaks of pretty things and subtleties**

_80_.

_(rain breaks over still water)_

.

Contrary to popular belief, Yamamoto Takeshi isn't just mega-watt smiles and jack o'lantern happy disposition.

There's more to Takeshi than just smiling and grinning and sitting pretty and batting and running around a baseball field in super tight pants and emerging from the dirt with sweat on his cheeks and a sparkle to his eye – when he wins a game, that is. There's Sawada Tsunayoshi and his Rain flames and his box weapon and Shigure Kintoki and perfecting his sword style and Japanese things. There's Haru, Kyouko, Kurokawa Hana – they've never talked much, except maybe second grade when she had a girlish sort of crush on him – Lambo, I-pin, and even _Hibari_.

He smiles a lot to lighten the load – to ease the pouring rain to nothing more than a lazy drizzle – but never to forget. He knows that his rose-tinted glasses tend to irritate Hayato and Hibari the most, and that – even though he's not perfect, that he has flaws, _lethal_ flaws, that even Hayato and Hibari accept him for who he is, despite his natural ignorance of the words _serious_ and _scary_. He knows, and he supposes that that's the reason he smiles so much: that no matter how rough, unpolished they are, the Vongola Guardians are his family, his _home_.

(And that even though they run him up a wall sometimes – ha, more like _several_ times a day – they're always there to support him with his exploits. Like baseball.)

(Or, teaching baseball. With all the _goooshhhheees_ and _whoootttahhhhhhs_ and _okay, hold it as tightly as you can_, and his personal favorite: _when the ball's coming at you just feel for it through your bat, then hit it with a guuu-guuuyn and ba-ba-bamp sort of thing, okay?_)

So.

When he sees a wayward baseball fly out into the outfield (left, no, upper left, toward the fence, if Takeshi wants to be technical) he can't help but scoop up his glove and bat – he's not sure which one he'll need in this situation, if he'll be pitching or batting or _both_ – and slide the door shut behind him as he takes off toward the baseball field. And when he gets there, he realizes that he is not needed. For the moment, at least.

It's Haru and Tsunayoshi. The first thing that jumps to Takeshi's mind is _why_, quickly followed by _there's a blush on her face_, and topped off with _what_ _are they doing?_ The thoughts don't make sense to Takeshi – even though he's aware of what this looks like, and to be honest, he rather likes Tsunayoshi's idea of a good time – so he looks closer, gathering more data as he tries to figure out what _this_ is, exactly. It's on _the tip of his tongue_ too.

Naturally, Haru catches his attention.

Her long brunette hair ripples through the wind, a green plaid sleeveless blouse clings to her shape as her miniskirt holds still at her thighs. She has the bat in her hands, her brown eyes narrowing, even as she tosses the bat aside and takes off for first. Tsunayoshi – Takeshi is _speechless_ when the boy slides down onto his backside to catch the ball, and flip back onto his feet to fling the sphere toward first base – by sheer willpower (and good ol'Hyper Dying Will Mode) alone manages to _legally_ get Haru out before she reaches first base.

(The entire play takes the wind out of Takeshi's sails.)

The swordsman is silent as Haru jogs back to home plate, her jade converses scattering dirt as she twists on her toes, snapping up the bat in her fingertips. She's suddenly _deadly serious_ – Takeshi watches Tsunayoshi's shoes _tap_ the pitcher's mound, hears his flames whisper from his forehead – her eyes narrow, her glossy lips tense, her fingers clench the handle of the bat, _his bat_, mind you (it's one of his spares, but _still_).

She's holding it all wrong (by his boyish standards), but Tsunayoshi's pitch is absolutely beautiful.

And when the ball arcs through the air again, Takeshi doesn't hesitate to slide his glove onto his hand and start running.

(He never notices the irritation in the air when he makes his presence known with a loud, resounding, _"I've got it!"_)

**.**

**tbc.**

* * *

**notes**: Thank you for reading. And for the feedback as well.


End file.
